The WSJ article noted several examples
of how the U.S. military is gaining increased access to civilian
information. One example, "Last year, the Office of Naval Intelligence,
the nation's primary source of global maritime intelligence, demanded
access to the U.S. Customs Service's database on maritime trade, saying
it needed information to thwart potential terrorist activity. Customs
officials initially resisted the Navy's demands but eventually agreed
to give naval intelligence much of what it wanted."

Furthermore, the WSJ article also
noted that "the Defense Intelligence Agency's new antiterrorism task
force is looking to share information with law-enforcement officials in
California and New York City."

Another major player in the increased
role of the U.S. military into domestic law enforcement is the Bush
White House. The WSJ report notes that "the White House sought to
further loosen [Posse Comitatus Act, the 1878 law prohibiting the
military from domestic law enforcement roles] restrictions to allow the
military to take on a new domestic-security role."

The Pentagon is also pushing for an
increased role for the U.S. military in domestic law enforcement.
According to this WSJ report, "The new command (North Command, or
Northcom, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado), the first such military
command designed to protect the U.S. homeland from a terrorist attack,
has responsibility for the U.S., Canada, Mexico, portions of the
Caribbean and U.S. coastal waters. Northcom's commander, Gen. Ralph
"Ed" Eberhart, is the first general since the Civil War with
operational authority exclusively over military forces within the U.S."

In addition, Eberhart's comments on
the new command are quite disturbing. Speaking to a group of National
Guardsmen, the general said that the National Guard should "change our
radar scopes" and "not just look out, but we're also going to have to
look in." He also said, "We can't let culture and the way we've always
done it stand in the way." And on PBS's "News Hour" he said, "We are
not going to be out there spying on people; we get information from
people who do."

The WSJ report added, "Another
little-known Pentagon group, the Counterintelligence Field Activity,
was set up two years ago. With 400 service members and civilians
stationed around the globe, the CIFA was originally charged with
protecting the military and critical infrastructure from spying by
terrorists and foreign intelligence services. But in August, Paul
Wolfowitz, the deputy defense secretary, issued a directive ordering
the unit to maintain a 'domestic law-enforcement database.'"

Our Declaration of Independence
clearly states that the purpose of government is to "secure these [God
given] rights." It is not the purpose of government to trample these
rights, but that is exactly what our federal government appears to be
doing.

It further appears that when it comes
to eviscerating constitutional protections against governmental
intrusion into personal liberties, there is little difference between
the two major parties. Democrat and Republican administrations alike
seem eager to ignore the Constitution and expunge our freedoms.

Therefore, it is time for the American
people to ignore the labels "conservative" and "liberal." They mean
very little these days. Instead, we need to once again focus on a
candidate's commitment to America's founding principles, namely, those
precepts contained in the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration
of Independence, because the Bush administration is living proof that a
"conservative," even a "compassionate" one, is just as capable of
tyrannical conduct as anyone else.

Chuck Baldwin is
Founder-Pastor of
Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was
recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and
influence.

Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively,
hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications
Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long
call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a
conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly
articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and
newspapers.